Governor's foundation targets state's most distressed counties

Oct. 5, 2012

South Carolina Gov. Nikki R. Haley signs copies of her book, 'Can't Is Not an Option,' after speaking in a town hall meeting at Mauldin City Hall last month. / PATRICK COLLARD/Staff

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COLUMBIA — Allendale County Councilman Bill Robinson remembers his community’s better days growing up, before the construction of Interstate 95 diverted tourism traffic and businesses away from the county, triggering an economic slide that left Allendale with the second-highest unemployment rate in the state.

But his community has some desperately needed hope now, he said, after a foundation launched last year by Gov. Nikki Haley spent a day there in March offering free medical and dental care, a job fair and education assistance.

“We think it’s a great effort and hopefully just a beginning,” he told GreenvilleOnline.com.

The Original Six Foundation, named for Haley, her husband, two children and her parents, is targeting 10 of the state’s most rural, economically distressed counties with high unemployment rates for assistance. The idea, Haley explains, is to link private resources with community needs, providing solutions outside the hand of government.

The foundation is being funded in part by about $200,000 in leftover inauguration monies and after-tax revenues from the sales of Haley’s book, “Can’t Is Not an Option.” Haley has advanced about $100,000 of the book money thus far, she said. The rest will have to wait until it is paid to her and taxes and costs are deducted. She said she does not know for sure how much that will be.

Haley chairs the board overseeing the foundation and grew up in Bamberg County, one of the counties on the foundation’s list.

“My goal is we get a good community where I can bring a CEO through those small towns and I can show him the good people that deserve the jobs, that care about their community, that are proud of where they live and make it a better place,” she said.

Community leaders and lawmakers representing the targeted areas say the foundation’s goals are laudable and welcome any effort to improve economic development, education and health needs there.

“If the governor is successful at bringing jobs and employment to any part of rural South Carolina, then I applaud her for her efforts,” said Rep. Harry Ott, leader of House Democrats and a Calhoun County farmer. “It’s past time leaders in South Carolina started paying some attention to rural South Carolina.”

Unique needs

But others say they are skeptical the foundation can bring about any long-lasting improvements.

“She’s throwing a few bucks around, making it appear that she cares about people in need, when in fact she could lead the effort to dramatically change the quality of life for many South Carolinians who are poor, uneducated and without a job, and she’s chosen to spend the majority of her time posing for Vogue magazine or campaigning for Mitt Romney,” said Dick Harpootlian, chairman of the state Democratic party, and a regular Haley critic.

Haley announced the foundation last December, saying she wanted to help communities help themselves by linking them with private resources to address each community’s top needs. Corporate donations haven’t been sought so far, she said, because the organization is awaiting approval of 501(c)3 tax status from the IRS.

Allendale, a county with 11,000 citizens, has an unemployment rate of 16.9 percent, slightly behind Marion County’s 17.6 percent. It has a track team that has won the state championship multiple years even though it has no track, Haley said.

She said the foundation’s efforts brought an alcohol addiction center to Allendale, as well as free GED classes. The foundation is working on another need that is unique for the county, a large digital billboard.

The billboard will publicize PTA meetings, classes and other public-service events and improve overall communication in the county.

Each county has unique needs, Haley said.

While Allendale has alcohol and crime problems, for instance, she said Marion does not. She said Marion’s top issues are a lack of education and economic development. Marlboro, on the other hand, has a problem with towns in-fighting, she said.

She said each county’s leaders come together to discuss that county’s issues, then meet with the foundation prior to the scheduling of a county day, where health screenings and the job fair are held, along with other activities. Neither local officials nor foundation officials said they knew how many people attending the three foundation events thus far had found work as a result of the job fairs.

In Marion County, Haley said, 87 people learned they were diabetic.

The health screenings have been popular at each of the three counties that have had the county days, officials said.

“I think the health fair was probably the most popular,” said Rep. Elizabeth Munnerlyn, a Bennettsville Democrat who attended the event. “The entire facility was clogged up with people waiting to get in. Obviously, that is a real need for us here.”

Participants not only can get seen by doctors and dentists but can sign up for Medicaid and learn about health-related issues, such as nutrition and maternal care.

The event in Marlboro attracted 1,000 people, officials said, while the event in Marion was attended by 650 and the one in Allendale attracted 300.

“To see 1,000 people waiting outside that school just to get information and care was heartbreaking,” Haley said. “You had parents who couldn’t read and the children had to spell their own names. These people don’t want a handout, they just want help and to know someone cares about them.”

Addressing the issues

Haley said the plan is for the foundation to do a county day for the state’s top counties for unemployment, then return to address each county’s top needs with a county-initiated project.

She said she drives through each county first before the foundation meets with local government, business and civic leaders.

“There was one area, they had misspelled signs,” Haley recalled. “In that leadership meeting, I said, ‘When I drive a CEO through here, do you know what they are going to see? They are going to see those misspelled signs.’ It’s things they can do for themselves.”

Another county, she said, had old buildings that looked “tired.”

“They went in and beautified,” she said. “We got the wood donated and we got the paint donated and they prettied up the area. It makes them proud of their area, and it helps me attract business to the area.”

Each county comes up with its own needs and priorities, she said. Those help shape each county day event and will be used to talk later about a project, something that the foundation plans for the next phase of its work.

“It’s their decision in the end,” she said. “I don’t come in and say this is what we are doing to your town. What I say is, ‘You deserve better, but you have to be part of the solution.’ ”

Allendale leaders are cautiously optimistic. They are pleased about the foundation’s event. Some businesses recently moved into the county, and Denmark Technical College has opened a campus.

“Things are kind of looking up a little bit,” said Allendale Mayor Ronnie Jackson. “She’s the one who started the ball rolling.”

Jackson adds, however, that he is still waiting on the billboard. Other local officials say they are waiting as well, to see what the foundation does next and if the improvements go beyond a day of helping residents write resumes and receiving free dental care.

“I think the word is still out,” Munnerlyn said.

Questions remain

Rep. Terry Alexander, a Florence Democrat who represents portions of Marion County, said he is pleased at the foundation’s efforts but is skeptical about the philosophy behind it.

“I don’t see how the community that has nothing can help themselves,” he said.

One way, Haley said, is with partners outside the county, one of which is Grace Church in Greenville.

The church has sent mission teams and volunteers to Allendale County for five or six years, said Taylor Beard, who directs the church’s efforts there.

She said the nondenominational church with several campuses has partnered with a church in Allendale County and has worked not just on improving property but getting to know the people of the county. She said the church sent down a couple of people to the foundation’s event.

“I think it’s great the governor is bringing attention to the counties,” she said. “I think the idea of bringing recognition and addressing the issues is always a good thing.”

Haley said she hopes to eventually locate a new industry in each of the affected counties. But she believes the foundation’s work has already affected residents.

“We’re improving those counties,” she said. “It’s a passion of mine I don’t talk a lot about because I don’t want to politicize it. But I do want them to know there are people that care and we’re going to keep on doing whatever we need to to lift these communities up.”

The governor said she would like to continue working on the foundation after she leaves the governor’s office.

“The more I do, the more I want to do,” she said. “I know we’re making a difference. I can’t wait to see where it goes.”